Marriage and Family Counseling/TherapyMaster of Science in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy

School of Counseling and Human Services

Help Support Healthy Relationships & Families

Families and couples need the guidance of an expert counselor in
challenging times. You have the strength, the confidence, and the
passion to address crises and help make a difference where it counts most.

Capella understands your goals to become a licensed marriage and
family therapist. That’s why we created a flexible, online master’s
degree in marriage and family counseling/therapy. Accredited by
COAMFTE and CACREP, this program features a combination of online
education and face-to-face experiences to help prepare you to pursue
state licensure eligibility.

Residency

Strategic Alignment

Our curriculum is designed to incorporate the values, principles, and
ethical standards of national, regional, and state professional
counseling associations and honor societies.

Meet Your Counseling Faculty

Our distinguished faculty members hold top credentials in their
fields. They’re here to teach you critical knowledge and skills and to
help enrich your education and career by bringing real-world relevance
to the courseroom. Our faculty include:

Carol Messmore, PhD, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor

Faculty Chair and Program Director, Marriage & Family
Counseling/Therapy

Leslie Guditis, PhD, LMFT, AAMFT Approved Supervisor Candidate

Get the Support You Need for Success

You’re never going it alone at Capella. Our dedicated support teams are waiting to guide, help, and
advise you through every step of your educational journey:

Enrollment Counselors

These folks are superstars. We hear it from our students (and grads).
They’re here to help find a program fit and set you up for
success.

Advisors

Want to learn more about courses, instructors, or resources? Ask our
advisors—they know all about the details of your program.

Career Center

For this team, it’s more than résumés and interview tips. It’s about
thoughtful and strategic career planning—beyond graduation.

Cost & Learning Format

Online education isn’t one-size-fits-all. We know you’re busy—you
need a learning experience tailored to your life, not the other way
around. Capella has learning and tuition formats to suit you, however
you learn.

Our original learning format offers extra structure for those who
want it. We'll set the schedule, you meet the deadlines.

*This is only an estimate, using general program pricing, and
it does not include fees (including application and resource kit fees). Your price may be higher or lower depending on your
specialization, transfer credits, and tuition discounts. If transfer
credits are allowed in this offering, the prices above show what you
would pay if you brought in the average number of transfer credits
and the price if you brought in the maximum allowed transfer credits.

Get the Details

Speak with an enrollment counselor to get
a personalized cost estimate for what you can expect to pay.

Accredited & Respected

Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Accreditation and recognitions provide the assurance we meet
standards for quality of faculty, curriculum, learner services, and
fiscal stability. See all of our accreditations and recognitions.

Ways to Save

At Capella, we believe your education is an investment in your
future. It’s also an investment within your grasp. Your goals
are achievable—there are more ways to save than you might think.

Scholarships for New Students

Capella scholarships, available for qualifying students, aren’t
need-based and never have to be repaid.

Transfer Credits

MS in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy Sample Courses

The curriculum for our marriage and family counseling/therapy
master's degree program includes online and face-to-face experiences
that focus on assessment, diagnosis, treatment, intervention, and
clinical training.

Course Number

Course Title

COUN5232

Systemic Approaches to Sexual and Gender Issues

COUN5271

Marriage and Family Systems

COUN5273

Couple and Marital Therapy

COUN5275

Utilizing Systemic Approaches: Infancy through Adolescence

COUN5820

Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy Theory and Practice

What You’ll Learn

The right education can change everything. Discover your path to
gaining real-world skills that you can apply to your passion for
helping others and helping families achieve happiness.

Apply foundational theories of marriage and family therapy to life as part of your clinical practice.

Education in the Field: Practica and Internships at Capella

MS in Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy—Professional Paths

Your education can help you reach your goals, professionally and
personally. Here are some of the job titles and employment settings to
explore as you consider a master’s degree in marriage and family
counseling/therapy.

Related Job Titles to Explore*

Marriage and family therapist

Marriage and family counselor

Child and adolescent counselor

Counselor

Educational counselor

Couples therapist

Couples counselor

Substance abuse counselor

Therapist

Related Employment Settings to Explore

Private practice

Group practice

Child welfare/children's services

Dept of social service

Family preservation/service agency

Educational institutions

Employee assistance program

Hospital

Nursing home

Community mental health center

Residential treatment center

Mental health agency

*These are examples intended to serve as a general guide. Some
positions may prefer or even require previous experience, licensure,
certifications, and/or other designations along with a degree. Because
many factors determine what position an individual may attain, Capella
cannot guarantee that a graduate will secure any specific job title, a
promotion, salary increase, or other career outcome. We encourage you
to research requirements for your job target and career goals.

Other Programs to Explore

Is this program close to what you need, but maybe not a perfect fit?
The programs below might be interesting. Check them out to find one
that suits your academic and professional goals.

Ready for the Next Step?

Learning online doesn't mean going it alone. Help is here. From
faculty, coaches, advisors, and more. Plus a supportive community of
students who are as passionate about their careers as you are about
yours.